Program Background

Community Grants Investment Plan

This Community Grants Program will support projects aimed at reducing the impacts of operating a major seaport near homes, schools, and parks. The CGP will fund projects outside the Harbor District, in the neighborhoods and corridors where these impacts are most acutely felt. It builds upon the success of the Port’s previous mitigation grant programs, and provides additional funding for community programs and capital projects with long-lasting neighborhood benefits.

The Community Grants Investment Plan provides guidance for spending mitigation funds in order to most effectively address community impacts while conforming to a state requirement that stringently governs the use of Port dollars. The Investment Plan is the driving document behind the Community Grants Program. Read the Community Grants Investment Plan.

Community Impact Study

The purpose of the Community Impact Study is to identify both the direct impacts of Port-related operations on the local community and community-based mitigation measures to relieve these impacts. The CIS identifies Port-related community impacts through a California Environmental Quality Act-like analysis that uses quantitative and qualitative, industry-accepted technical methodologies to demonstrate a connection between Port operations, the impact to the community, and possible ways to reduce these impacts. Read the Community Impact Study used to formulate the Plan.

The Port held a series of public outreach workshops in fall 2016 to solicit feedback on the project priorities of community members within the Program’s Eligibility and Priority Zones. The Port and the Community Grants Program’s Advisory Committee will reference these results in the development of annual project funding solicitations for the duration of the Program. Read the results of our four Community Grant workshops.

Meet the Advisory Committee

The Community Grants Advisory Committee provides input to Port staff on program guidelines, evaluation criteria, and outreach. The Committee also reviews grant proposals and advises Port staff on which applications should be funded.

Advisory Committee Meetings are open to the public and are held at the Port of Long Beach Interim Administrative Offices, 4801 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, 90815. Agendas are available online at www.polb.com/webcast.

Irma ArchuletaIn October 2016, Archuleta was appointed to the Los Angeles County Status of Women Commission, where she currently serves as a representative for District 1. Formerly, she represented Area II on the Long Beach City College Board. She has worked in higher education in both the California Community College and California State University systems, where she served in ascending administrative roles and taught political science and ethnic studies.

Joanne DavisDavis is a developer of financial management programs for statewide campaigns and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for six years. From 2011 to 2012, Davis led the Chamber as chairman. In 2010, Joanne, a small business owner in Long Beach, was named the Small Business Advocate of the Year by the California Chamber of Commerce.

Gary DeLong (chair)DeLong is a former Long Beach City Councilman. He has been a small business owner for over 25 years and currently serves on many boards including the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Long Beach City College Foundation, the Long Beach Community Foundation, and the St. Mary Medical Center Foundation.

Kathleen IrvineIrvine, a resident of Council District 1, has been a landscape designer, consultant, and teacher since 1991 and is an active member of the Long Beach community. She currently serves as President for the Willmore City Heritage Association and as Vice-Chair of the Sustainable City Commission. She has received many awards, including the Woman of Distinction Award from State Sen. Ricardo Lara, the Go Long Beach Award from Mayor Robert Garcia and the Spirit of Downtown Award from Downtown Long Beach Associates.

Sabrina SandersSanders supports student academic programs at California State University Chancellor’s office. Recently recognized for her mentorship of young adults pursuing a career in higher education as one of the Long Beach Post’s “top 40 under 40,” she has served as President of the Hamilton Neighborhood Association, is a Commissioner on the Long Beach Community Investment Company board, and is a member of the North Long Beach Whole Village Initiative.